Favorite Read Aloud Books for Kids {Specifically Boys}
We’ve been blessed with boys who love to read. From an early age, everything stops when someone begins reading – toys are dropped and they gather around for a story. Honestly, they would pick being read to over just about any activity – it’s a gift I hope they keep as they learn to read.
Getting to read aloud to them is such a sweet time – it’s quiet, calming, relaxing – and I just love watching them being read to by family and friends.
We’ve completed a couple of chapter books including Book 1 of the Boxcar Children Mysteries
Open to your suggestions! What were YOUR favorite read alouds growing up? What have been your kids’ favorites?
{Amazon Affiliate Links used as a reference.}
Growing up, I HATED books with princessess, so I feel their pain! I dug Hardy Boys and the Bobbsey Twins — maybe that last one would be especially appropriate, considering there were two sets to make 4? 🙂
My boys are now 17 and 14 and they have always loved books. One of the chapter book series that my boys liked were the Magic Tree House books. I don’t really remember what age they are for tho.
Our He-Twin (and She-Twin, too) LOVED The Tale of Despereaux and The Invention of Hugo Cabret. 🙂
Such a sweet pic of the boys reading and how great that they like to read so much! My boys are a little younger so all of our books would be uninteresting to them at this stage! Haha! I will have to come back and see what people suggest though for future reference for me!
Love the picture of my friend, Grandmother Janet, reading to her boys. You have captured a special moment, Jennifer. Sending our Illinois love directly to you, Brad and the quads. Fran
Great list! My older son LOVES all of the Kate diCamillo (author of Tale of Despereaux) books…there are a ton & he has read them all! She has some great ones for younger children…The Mercy Watson Series. You should check them out. They are really cute. Aidan is just now starting the Underland Chronicles Series by Suzanne Collins (author of Hunger Games.) He is LOVING it! It’s for ages 9 and up but you might find it interesting as well.
I second the suggestion to check out the Magic Tree House series. It’s for little ones, I’ve been reading it lately with my 4.5 year old twins. They seem to really like it, and there are lots of them, so they’d hold you for a while. It’s about a brother and sister, so good for both boys and girls.
My son is a few months older than your four and he loved the three book series of My Father’s Dragon and also really enjoys the Mystery Tree House series. There is another series that he absolutely loves and that is the Captain Underpants–I don’t like it. Thank you for the suggestions!
How about the “Little House on the Prairie” series. My boy is not quite into chapter books yet, but when he is I’m looking forward to starting with “Farmer Boy. The others are a little girl focused, but still no princesses. 🙂
Liza, Bill, and Jed Mysteries – Peggy Parrish
The Haunted House
Clues in the Woods
The Mystery of Hermit Dan
Pirate Island Adventure
Key to the Treasure
The Ghosts of Cougar Island
Bunnicula series—James Howe
Bunnicula
Howliday Inn
The Celery Stalks at Midnight
Nighty-Nightmare
The Sign of the Beaver-Elizabeth George Speare
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler—E.L. Konigsburg
The Castle in the Attic—Elizabeth Winthrop
The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkein
The Egypt Game – Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Farmer Boy – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Sideways Stories from Wayside School – Louis Sachar
And also:
How to Eat Fried Worms – Thomas Rockwell
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh – Robert C. O’Brien
Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White
Stuart Little – E.B. White
The Incredible Journey – Sheila Burnford
Magic Tree House would probably be great for them. What about the Henry and Ribsy books by Beverly Cleary, Ralph S. Mouse, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web, Little House on the Prairie, or Shel Silverstein’s poems? I just finished reading The Mysterious Benedict Society to my fourth grade class, which is so exciting and great… and loooooooong (700-ish pages?).
Mary at Owlhaven had a good list of books for boys here a while back: http://www.owlhaven.net/2011/05/29/good-books-for-boys/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+owlhavennet+%28Owlhaven%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
How about the Children’s Classic version of King Arthur and the Sword in the Stone. My boys 6 and 4 loved it.
If you are not adverse to a “foreign” universe, there are some brilliant books about a small Swedish boy from “way back when” that I believe would be marvellous for your boys: http://www.amazon.com/Emils-Pranks-Emil-Lonneberga-2/dp/9188374246 This author has several ingenous children’s books. I also recommend the Roald Dahl stories mentioned, I would assume that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would be right up your alley!
My boys have been enjoying the Paddington series. Granted, one of my boys is obsessed with bears, so it was a natural fit. I’ll also agree with the recommendations for the Magic Tree House series.
Charlottes Web, Stuart Little, The Mouse and The Motorcycle. All favorites of mine when I was growing up. My cousins boys loved The Little House series of books too. But they’re farmers and probably that interested them 😉
My boys loved James and the Giant Peach, and they also really enjoy The Magic Treehouse series. My boys are 8 and 6 and can read these books on their own now, but we still like to have some mommy reading time as well. I purchased some “Fudge” books when my oldest had his tonsils removed last year and we snuggled up and read those too.
Our boys, ages 6 and 3 love books. Some of their favorites include the entire Little House series, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Tumtum & Nutmeg (start with the Adventures in Nutmouse Hall). Enjoy!
Mouse and the Motorcycle, Winnie the Pooh, and a bear called paddington have been favorites over here (Sammy will be 5 next month).
Completely unrelated to this post… Last night my son was on my last nerve, possibly past that. It doesn’t help I am 19 wk preggers, so extra tired and most likely cranky and I am trying to get ready for his 3rd bday party on Saturday. Then it occurred to me, oh my Jen has 4 to deal with! I must say you are a saint and I have a whole new found respect for you!
I always loved E.B. White books and especially Charlotte’s Web. Farmer Boy is a great one. I also loved the Wizard of Oz books, Swiss Family Robinson and The Jungle Book.
i noticed you mentioned narnia…we got this the Christmas before last, and have listened thru the whole thing twice now:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Chronicles-Narnia-Never-Theatre/dp/1589972996/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333036251&sr=8-1
the kids really like it, and ask a loooot of questions. (which i know is a good thing, but sometimes i just want to say, “shhhhh i want to hear this part!” haha – so it’s as much for me as for them). anyway, it’s a really great, professional production that we love to play in the car.
I would try the Magic Tree House series. I noticed that some other readers suggested these. They are written at several grade levels; so they canb be treasured through the next several years.
Also, the Bad Kitty Books are excellent. They are very funny; these books are written by Nick Bruel.
Look at your library or book store for Beverly Cleary books, my children loved them.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle
Shel Silverstein: Poems
The Judy Blue “Fudge” Books
may be a little girly, but no princesses…Little house on the Prairie Series…
These are some great suggestions! The Indian in the Cupboard, such a classic. If you’re looking for read-aloud book ideas for younger children, we have a review section for picture books at our site. Start them early, right? 🙂
I am currently reading Little House on The Prairie and my son loves it! My Mom read it to me as a small child and I find I get as interested in it as he does..:) Also, my sister use to read the “Mandy series” it may be a little older but there are SEVERAL books in the series and are about a little girl in boarding school and her indian friend- very exciting stuff! Never cared for the Magical Tree house books, the ones I looked at had alot of “spells and magic” in them and reminded me of Harry Potter and those are not in our taste. Am in search of Boxcare Kids, Hardy Boys and Bobsey Twins. Have heard of Local Libraries that run sales, a friend bought the entire Hardy Boys (hardback) series for $0.10 a book! STEAL!!!! My sons First Grade teacher actually gave me her complete set of Little House on the Prairie when we moved and it is a treasure to us!
What a great photo! I commented on your fb page and apparently doubled up on some recommendations, but I guess now you know they’re extra good! 🙂 So many good books out there that I could recommend… A good author for when they are a little older is Andrew Clements. Also, Robert Elmer is a Christian author that has written some great historical fiction for kids. (I enjoyed reading his WWII and post WWII series and also his series that takes place in the early days of Austrailia.) A Christian series that they might enjoy now is the Darcy J. Doyle series. The main character is a (girl, but I think they would still like them) detective. And speaking of Christian authors, I think it is Nancy Levene that writes the Alex (girl) and TJ (boy) books (2 different series) about typical kids with typical problems and how they solve their problems in God honoring ways or the lessons they learn when they don’t. I would also like to say that as a teacher, I find all these posts very encouraging! Parents are still reading to their kids (and reading some classics) and the kids are enjoying it! 🙂
I was making a list of some books I just got and came up with some other series for you: Polk Street School Kids, Pee Wee Scouts, Horrible Harry, and the Three Cousins Detective Club. The Three Cousins Detective Club books are a Christian series.
A to Z Mysteries are Nathan’s current favorites. (One for each letter of the alphabet.)